Concrete-road-building machine



W. D. HAM.

CONCRETE ROAD BUILDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.28,1916.

Patented July 6, 1920.

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APPLICATIVON 8:ILED SEPT, 28. I916- Patented July 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. D. HAM. CONCRETE ROAD BUILDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT, 28,1916- 1,34:5,925. Patented July 6, 1920.

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EMWVEMEE .mmz/ WW fi Patented July 6,1920.

WILLIAM DEANE HAM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONCRETE-ROAD-BUILDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Application filed September 28, 1916. Serial No. 122,611.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM DEANE HAM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concrete-Roadi-Building Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referenceibeing had to-the accompanying drawings, and to the nurr'lerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved type of concrete mixing and laying or. distributing' machine, wherein power driven mechanisms serve to operate the mixer which is mounted upon a truck and may be moved under its own power as the work progresses, at the sametime rolling the surface over which the concrete is to be.laid. This machine is particularly adapted for use upon roadways, side walks and other similar concrete construction projects.

It is an object of this invention to con struct a machine embodying, a frame having a mixer-mounted thereon, as well as an en gine for driving the same, together with means for moving the machine along as the work progresses, feeding a reinforcement fabric therealong over which the concrete is discharged from the mixer and embodying a compact arrangement of the parts for the greatest efficiency and ease of operation.

It is also an object of this invention to -construct a concrete mixing and distributing machine mounted upon a truck frame for movement from place to place, and provided with power driven mechanisms which are It is furthermore an object of this inven-- tion to construct a concrete machine, embodying a power plant and mixer together with. a. water reservoir and receiving hopper so that the proper quantity of water and mixture may be admitted from the receiving hopper into the mixer immediately after discharge of the contents thereof; and with an unloading platform leading to the hopper affording an incloslng hood for the power plant.

It is finally an object of this invention to provide an improved form of. concrete mixing' and laying machine, wherein the reinforcement fabric is unreeled from the machine as the same moves along, receiving the concrete dlscharged thereover, and with clutch controlled power means for operating the different mechanisms of the machine in the most efiicient manner possible.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the principles of my invention, showing the same in use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the machine with the operation of one element shown indotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine as shown in 1.

Fig. 4 is a front end view of the machine with parts shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the machine,

with the mixer drum omitted and with parts broken away."

Fig. 6- is a detail section taken on line 66, of Fig,- 5, with parts omitted.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail taken on line 77, of Fig. 6. I

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail section taken on line 8-8, of Fig.

Fig. 9 is a detail section taken on line 9, 0f Fig. 2. j i Fig. 10 is a top sectional detail illustrating the pivot connection for one of the front rollers of the machine.

Fig. 11 is a side sectional detail illustrating the means of replacement of a roller by a stationary supporting foot.

As shown on the drawings:

The frame of the machine consists of channel irons forming side sillsl, a rear end sill 2, and a front end sil-l 3. Said frame isreinforced centrally by an intermediate transverse beam 4:, extending between the sills 1, and parallel to the end sills 2 and 3.

Mounted at the rear end of the frameare four uprights 5, and secured at the upper ends of each thereof are longitudinal and transverse beams 6, with the structure thus formed braced at the corners by angle memframe members Y concrete mixer .-2 7, into which said to rotatably miner may be caused to rotate,

chine,

At the front end of the machine as clearlyshown in Figs. 2 and 10, corner brackets 12, aresecu'red on the inner sur faces of the junction of the side sills'l, and

front end sill ,3, said corner brackets being provided with a Vertical pivot bearinglii, through which extends a pivot shaft '14, on the lower end of which is formed'a yoke 15, in which is journaled a roller'lti. Said rollers 16, have a caster effect so that the machine may be guided as it ismoved along. H Referringto Fig. 5, there are'two'sub-sill 17, extending between the sill 3, and the intermediate beam 4:, to. afford a support for a gasolen'e engine 18. A pair of bearing brackets l9 and 20, are mounted upon said intermediate beam 4,

and another pair of bearing brackets 21 and 22,1116 mounted upon the end sill 2, and

journaled inand between the lieariiigbrackpets 19 and 21, is a shaft 23, and similarly yourn aled in the "bearing brackets 20 and 22, is another shaft 24. Secured upon said respective shafts '23 and 24:, are roller wheels 25, and supported thereon is a cylindrical 26, of a conventional type provided with peripiheral tracks or grooves oller whehls 25, engage, support the mixer in position.

Journaled upon the shaft 24:, is a gear 28,

jand feathered upon said shaft: adjacent thereto, is a clutch member 29, adapte l to engage withthe hub of said gear to lock the same upon the shaft 24, for rotation therewith.

Secured upon the "periphery of the'miking drum or cylinder 26, as clearly shown inFig -QI, isa ring gear 30, infmesh withsaid driving gear'2'8, so gagement of the clutch meniber' 29 said ing the ingredients of the charge introduced mtothe mixing drum.

26, adapted tosdischarge thereinto" through frame for actuation of said gate valve into open and closed position,

At the othcror rear end of 'the mixing cylinder. 26. a discharge chute or spout 36, p

is pivoted. as shown in Fig. 2. and is provided with a handle 37, whereby the same Bearing brackets 8, are secured to the side sills 1, at the rear end of thema which a the tank 44,

that by en- 7 thereby miX- I A hopper 31, is mounted upon the front end'of the drum end of the-machine, as-shownin ratchet wheel 60, is

the other'end thereof,

shaft2 l,is a clutch element 62,adapted to 32 and is also connected to a lever 35, pivoted on'the' '63. is a pawl (it the ratchet wheel (50, and pivoted adjacent nearest may be tilted upwardly to prevent discharge of the contents of the mixer if so desired. As shown, 38,-sisconnected to the frame of the machine, beneaththe spout 36, and tracks over the ground discharging the concrete which is denoted by the reference numeral 39,-af:

ter which the concrete is spread over the reinforcement fabric 40, which is unwound from a reel of the fabric, the axle of which is connected in slottedarms 41,secured on the rear end of the machine. A tamping plate 42, having a curved edge istowed behind the machine bycables i3, ,connected at each side thereof, and the concrete 39, is smoothed and'tamped by ,a man standing upon the plate and delivering the tamping blows to the plate itself. V i

Supported upon the frame 'worka of the machine, above the mixing drum 26, is a cylindrical water tank or reservoir 4d, provided on its interior, as shown in Fig. 8, with ajhorizontai partition or secondary bottoinmember ter'ior of the tank into .twocompartmentS. An outlet pipe 4:6,leads from the compartmentabove the partition 5L5, llltO'it quick operating valve 47, and also connected into said valve 47, is an, inlet pipe 48, leading into the compartmentjbelow said partition Disposed within tlie -eonipartment of beneath the partition 45, is: a pneumatic tire inner tube-4L9, and the valve thereof issecured through an aperture in the"tank4et, as denoted by the reference numeral :50, to permit attachment thereto of'an' air pump. A from the compartment below-the partition 4:5, in the tank 4A, downwardly through a quick operating valve 52, into the hopper 81.

Journaled upon the shaft 24, is a cable "drum 53, around which is wound a cable 5%, which is led about an idler sheave 55,

forwardly from the machine andthrough a sheave 57, attached upon a stake 58, which is driven into the ground, and with the end ofsaid cable returned and divided into a Y and fastened to eyes'59, upon the forward Fig. 2. secured upon one end of and a brake drum61, on and feathered on the the cable drum 53,

be moved into locking engagement with a complemental'clutch member formed upon the hub of the brake drum'to thereby lock said cab'le' drum for rotationwith theshaft 24; A horizontal bar 63, issecured' between the uprights 5,'at one side ofv the machine,

to carry the operating mechanisms for the various clutches upon the v shaft 24, shown in liig.

Mountedon one end ofsaid bar adapted to interlock with dischargepipe 51, leads a relatively long chute 45, thus dividing the in- 65, is a lever 66,

member 62, and

thereto is a lever 65, which may be actuated to tilt said pawl 64, out of engagement with the ratchet wheel when so desired. Also pivoted upon said bar 63, adjacentthe lever which is connected to a brakeband 67, disposed about 'the brake drum 61. Also pivotally mounted upon said bar 63, is a lever 68, for actuating the clutch another lever 69, is likewise pivoted upon said bar 63, for actuation of the clutch member 29. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, a shaft 70, is journaled through the sills 1, at the rear end ofthe machine, and secured upon the outer ends of said shaft .are nigger-heads 71, around which-the drag cables 43, are wound, and each nigger-head 71', is provided with a ratchet wheel 72, with which a pivotedpawl 73, on each of-the sill members .1, is adapted to engage.

Secured upon the forward end of the shaft 2a, is a gear 74, which meshes with a pinion 75, which is secured having another gear meshing in turn with a pinion 77, secured upon the crank shaft of the motor 18.v This mechanism affords a' reduction drive tothe shaft 24,-and runs in oil incased in ahousing 78. i Pivotally mounted upon the forward. endof the machine, in pivot brackets 79, which are secured upon the sills 1,is a platform housing 80, which normallyis disposed downwardly in horizontal ,position, resting upon the sills l, but may be swung upwardly into the dotted line position shown inFig. 2, to give access to the motor 18. A stationary platform section 80, is provided on said frame over which the end of said; pivoted section80, laps when in closed position. The forward end of. the top surface of the hood or platforrnmember 80, is recessed as indicated bythe refer- '12 of the frame ence numeral 81, lines, to receive tworun-ways 82, by a pin 83. Said run-ways are provided shown in F 2, in dotted at their outer-ends with rollers 84, as shown in Fig. 1, which track over the ground as the machine is moved along. Auxiliary run-ways 85, rest slidably upon each of said run-way members 82, as shown inFig. 1, with the outer ends thereof bearing in fixed relation upon the surface of the ground, so that as the machine moves'along, said runway members 82, slide therebe'neath, thus aifording at all times means whereby a wheel-barrow maybe wheeled up to. and upon the platform 80, to dischargeits contents into. the hopper 31. y e

As shown in Fig. 11, the caster wheel 16, may be replaced by a stationarysupporting foot 86, having an upright shaft, which extends through the bracket member of the machine,and said upright shaft 87, is provided with a series of. transverse apertures 88, therethrough,

beneath upon a counter shaft 76, secured thereon,

seated therein the ends of each held loosely attached within which a tain the weight of the frame thereon, so that pin may be inserted to sus-- heights. A gasolene supply tank 89, to supply fuel to the motor18, is mounted on the platformsection'80, at one side of the hopper 31 A bottom; pan 90, is secured the motor 18," and transmission gearing between theside sills of the frame and theintermediatebeam 4, and end sill 3, so that these, mechanisms are entirely inclosed, Y

.The operation is as follows: Inusing this machine, it is first set up longitudinally on the foundation of the road or sidewalk over which the concrete is to be laid, and the stake 58, is driven into the ground and the cable 54, attached around the idler sheave 57 ,thereon, so that by actuation of the clutch lever 68, thecable drum 53,. may be caused to rotate, thereby drawing the machine as a whole forwardly toward the stake 5 'As the machine is drawn away as thework progresses, the reinforcement fabric a0, is unwound from the reel thereof at the rear, end of the machine, and the concrete,fiowsthrough the spout 36, and down the chute thereover. The concrete mixture used is generally of creamy consistency, so that it is practically self leveling, and the tamping plate'42, which is drawn thereover at a considerable distance rearwardly of the machine serves to tam-p and smooth the surface ofthe same. ,Atthe completion of a days mixing with the machine, and it being desirable to complete the t'amping of the concrete whichhas been distributed, suitable cranks are engaged upon the squared ends ofthe shaft 70, to rotate the niggerheads 71, and thereby draw the tamping pan or plate 42, inwardly and up to the end of the. discharge chute 38. -However, when the machine is moving and towing the tamp- -1ng plate 42, the locking pawls 73, interlock with the ratchet wheels 72, to prevent rotation of the nigger-heads 71. The crew which is working themachine and feeding the contents into the hopper 31, for introduction into themixer 26, wheel their barrows up the inclined runways 58 and"82, and on to the platform 80, and at this point dump the contents of the barrow into the hopper3l, the gate valve 32, shown in Fig. 4, being closed. The proper amount of water forthe particular mixture is then admitted into the hopper 31, merely by closing the valve 47, serving to cut off communication between the compartment of the reservoir ti, above the partition 45, and the compartment below said partition. and the valve 52, permits the contents of the lower compartment to flow downwardly andinto the hopper 31. after which upon emptying of the mixer 26, through the spout 88, for distribution of, so that one person driving gear 36, as the mixer rotates, the gate valve 32, is opened to admit the charge into the mixer from the hopper 31.

Inasmuch as the particular quantity of water for different-mixtures and purposes may vary, an ordinary pneumatic inner tube 49, is placed within the compartment be low the partition as), which, upon being inflated, displaces a certain space within said compartment so that the quantity of water admitted thereinto may be varied. Of course, after the water has been admitted into the hopper 31, the valve 52, is closed and the valve 47, opened, thereby allowing the main supply of water in the tank 44;, to also enter into the compartment below the partition 4.5, again filling the same with a predetermined volume of water for use in the next charge of material introduced into the machine.

- Rotation ofthe mixer 26, is controlled by actuating the clutch lever 69, which to engage the clutch member 29, with the 28. It is evident by reference to Fig. 2, that all of the operating mechanisms for the machine are at one side theremay easily control the entire operation thereof.

As will be seen by reference to the plan view shown in Fig. 5', the front rollers 16, are spaced apart from their inner ends an amount substantially equal to the length of the associated rollers 10 and 11, and the forward end of themachine being of considerable weight, as the same is drawn away from the work, said front rollers 16, track deeper into the ground, as shown in Fig. 2, than the rear rollers 10 and 11, following the same, thus affording a groove or trough at each side of the surface over which the concrete is spread. By changing the rollers 10 and 11 and the front casters 16, the width of the road or walk may be changed, either increased or diminished.

This machine is also well adapted for stationary work, the stationarysupporting feet 86, being used for the purpose to prevent movement of the machine and the cable drum may be then used for hoisting purposes. The auxiliary corner blocks 91, are secured on the rear end of the ceive a set of the stationary feet attached therein whereby the entire machine may, if necessary, be supported at its four corners independent of rollers.

I am aware that various details of construction of this invention may be varie through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted, otherwise than necessitated by the rior art.

I claim as my invention;

1. In a machine of the class described, a concrete mixcr,'a frame on which the same of the water tank,

valved connections for plant on said frame,

frame to reis mounted, a'po'wer plant, means transmitting a drive from the power plant to said mixer and permitting said drive to be disconnected, a windlass on the frame, a cable attached thereon, adapted to be attached to a fixed point to move said frame when the windlass is driven by the power plant, means admitting a predetermined quantity of water into the mixer with each charge of material admitted thereto, and a housing for the power plant pivoted on said frame and affording a loading platform for discharge of material into the mixer.

2. In a machine of the class described, a frame, rollers on which the same is supported, a power plant mounted on said frame, a pivotally mounted housing thereover affording a loading platform, a rotatable mixer on said frame, releasable driving connections between said mixer and said power plant, a feed hopper at one end of said mixer adjacent said loading platform, a frame work extending upwardly around the mixer, a water reservoir thereabove, an

discharging the water from said water reservoir into the hopper for introduction into the mixer.

3. In a machine of the class described, a frame, rollers supporting the same, a power a cylindrical mixer rotatablymounted thereon, a rack shaft driven by the power plant, a gear thereon, a ring gear on said mixer meshing therewith, a clutch for locking said first mentioned gear on said jack shaft to cause rotation of the mixer thereby, a windlass journaled on sai jack shaft, a clutch locking the same to said jack shaft whereby the windlass is driven thereby, a cable wound about said windlass adapted to be attached to a fixed point whereby the machine may be drawn forwardly over the ground away from the work as the work progresses, a reel of reinforcement material adjustably mounted at the rear end of the machine, automatically unreeled over the surface to be covered with concrete as the machine is drawn away from the work, and means admitting predetermined quantities of water into the mixture admitted into the mixer.

l. In a machine of the class described, a powerfplart, a mixer thereon, driving connections between the mixer and the power plant, a water reservoir, disposed above the mixer, a compartment therein of variable volume to receive predetermined quantities of water therein for discharge into the mixer, a charging hopper for said mixer, a pivotally mounted cover for said power plant affording a loading platform for introduction of material into the hopper, and means carrying a gravity acting reel of reinforcement material at one end of the machine to be unreeled for disposition over the surface on which the concrete is discharged from the mixer as the machine is moved along.

5. The combination with a concrete mixing machine, of chambered means mounted thereon adapted to introduce predetermined quantities of Water into the machine, and pneumatic means Within said chambered means for varying the volume of water adapted to be admitted into said chambered means.

6. The combination with a concrete mixing machine, having a rotatable mixing drum, of a tank mounted on the machine, having an upper andlower compartment,

and means connecting said compartments; for filling the lower compartment from the upper compartment, pneumatic means for subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. I

WILLIAM DEANE HAM.

Witnesses:

LE ROY DUKILEY, LAWRENCE REIBs'rEIN. 

